Measurement using strain sensitive members such as optic fibers having Bragg gratings therein is ubiquitously used in many industries. Using Bragg gratings written to the fiber enables sensitivity to for example, axial strain in the fiber. This can be “visible” to an operator at a remote location thereby providing information about strain in a fiber that otherwise would be difficult to query.
Larger strain magnitudes, providing they are not greater than can be withstood by the fiber, are relatively easy to measure. Microstrain however can be harder to resolve. This can be especially true in industries where the measurement is a significant distance away from the operator. Telecommunications and downhole operations are but two possible industries where the distances become large and sensitivity can become an issue.
While Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG) used in the current state of the art have contributed significantly to a wide range of industries, improvement is always desired.